**Appendix** - There are many other unforeseen health changes that seem to be related to the forces of modernization, like the increase in rates of diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and ADHD. Those changes likely stem from all sorts of complicated genetic and environmental interactions - including changes in diet, exposure to pollution, and access to hygiene - that researchers haven’t yet figured out.

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To learn more, start your googling with these keywords:
Fecalith: A stony mass of feces inside a person’s intestinal tract.
Appendix: A tube-shaped sac at the bottom of a person’s intestinal tract.
Appendicitis: A painful inflammation of the appendix.
Fiber: Plant-derived dietary material that’s resistant to certain digestive enzymes.
Tertiary Food Processing: Commercial production of food that often contains synthetic elements or an overabundance of certain salts and sugars.
“Western Diet”: A collective term for a diet high in fat, cholesterol, protein, sugar, and salt, that often involves frequent consumption of “fast food”.
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If you liked this week’s video, you might also like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9amif1DQMc
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Addiss, D., Shaffer, N., Fowler, B., Tauxe, R. (1990). The epidemiology of appendicitis and appendectomy in the United States. The American Journal of Epidemiology.132:5 (910-1925). Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2239906